Car locking device



E. A. SAHLIN` .CARLocKINGDEvIGE April 20, 1943.

Ap'ril 2o, 1943. E. A5SAHL|N lCAR LOCKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 6, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sal/UQ. INVENTR ATTORNEX April 20, 1943.

E. A.SAHL|N CAR LOCKING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 6, 1942 mich..

ya wfwzSa/MA; INVENTOQ April 20, 1943. E, A, SAHUN 2,316,976

CAR LocKING DEVIC Fied Nov. e, 1942 4 sheets-sheet 4 Gb? ,-eb ,es -m C@ @d JEU@ FIGO

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aer. 2o, 1943 CAR LOCKING DEVICE Eric Albert Sahlin, Harrington Park, N. J., as-

signor to Otis Elevator Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 6, 194.2, Serial No. 464,929

" r claims. (o1. isi- 76) The invention relates to elevator safety devices and especially to locking devices for elevator cars.

In certain installations, elevators are arranged to lift extra heavy loads, and such elevators have become known as safe lift elevators. The hoisting mechanism is vnranged to operate at slow speed for this oper n. A locking device is provided to support the elevator car independently of the hoisting' mechanism while the load transfer is being effected. This prevents the car descending when the brake does not hold, the power is insufficient or,in case of tracticnelevators, when the'tracton is insufficient. The locking device comprises extendible lock bars carried by the car for engaging stops on the guide rails at the landings to support the car. If the hoisting mechanism can lift the car off the stops after it is loaded, the lock bars are retracted for further car operation. l l

It is the object of the invention to provide an improved car locking device which is .positive and reliable in operation and which by its action does not cause bending stresses in the guide rails.

Features and advantages of the invention will be apparent yfrom the following description and appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an elevator installation embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the platform of the elevator car of Figure 1 with parts broken away, illustrating somewhat schematically the lock bars and operating-mechanism therefor;

Figure 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view taken along the line 4--4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view taken along the line 5--5 of Figure 3; g

Figure 6 is a view in elevation illustrating the lock. bar stop and its mounting on the guide rail;

Figure 7 is a side view oef the same; and

.Figure 8 is a view taken along the line 8 8 of Figure 6.

Referring to Figure 1, hoisting ropes Ill for the vcar Il and eounterweight I2 pass over the hoisting drum I3 at the top of the elevator shaft. This drum is driven by means of a hoisting motor I4 to eiect the raising and lowering of the car and counterweight. An electromechanical brake I 5 is employed to aid in bringing the motor to a stop and to hold the car while at rest. Guide rails I6 are provided for the elevator car. The bottom guide shoes fior the car are designated I1, while the top griddle shoes are designated I8. These guide shoes cooperate with the guide rails to guide the car in its movement up and down the elevator shaft.

The lock bars 28 of the car locking device 2U are carried by the elevator car framework beneath the car platform. These bars are extendedto rest on lock bar stops 2| secured to the guide rails I6. The guide rails are mounted on brackets 22 which extend them out from the hatchway wall to enable the hook bar stops to be secured to the back of the rails. The lock bar stops are positioned at the various landings so that with the lock 'bars extended and resting on the stops the car is supported level with the landing. Reference may now be had to Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 which illustrate details of the lock bars and their operating mechanism. The lock bars and operating mechanism are mounted between the lower cross channels 25 of the elevator car framework. The elevator car platform 26 is supported on top of these channels. Associated with the channels and beneath the car platform is a sub-frame 21.

There are two spaced lock bars 28 on each side of the car. These lock bars at each side of the car are guided in slots 30 and 3| formed in plate 32 and beam 33 respectively. Plate 32 is secured as by .brackets 34 to the channels 25 while beam 33 is secured by brackets 35 to the channels 25. Stops 36 and 31 are .provided on one bar on each side for engaging plate 32 and beam 33 to limit the outward and return movement of the bar. Oppositely disposed angle brackets 38 and 40 are secured to the inner ends of the lock bars to extend toward each other. These brackets overlap each other and are vertically spaced to receive Y the outer end of a link 4I.' The link is pivotally secured to these brackets by a pivot bolt 42.

The inner ends of the inwardly extending links 4I are pivotally securedas by pivot bolts 43 to the opposite ends of a lever 44 at the mid .point ofthe channels 25. This lever is secured as by a. `pin to a vertically vextending shaft 45. This shaft is pivotally mounted in apertures in plates 46 and 41. YThe lower plate 41 is mounted on a cross member 48 secured to the bottom of channel members 25 while upper plate 46 is secured to the bottom of a cross beam 49 secured to channel members 25. A lever 50 is secured as by a pin to the lower end of shaft 45. A link 5I is pivotally connected as by a pivot bolt 52 to the outer end of'lever 5I). This link extends toward the front of the car and is pivotally connected at its other endas by a pivot bolt -53 tothe end of a Vlever 54. This lever is secured as by a pin to ing device is not in use.

Referring now to Figures 6, 7 and 6 each lock bar stop 2| comprises a foundation plate 65 secured to the base 66 of the guide rail I6 by bolts B1. The foundation plate is held in position by- V to enclose the end of the shaft when the car lockmeans of rail clips 63 while the holes for the bolts 61 are drilled. On top of the foundation plate is a fulcrum bar 10. This bar is secured to the guide rail by rail clips 1|. A semi-cylindrical fulcrum 'l2` is secured as by welding to the top of bar 'l0 at the mid point thereof'. The bar is mounted on the guide rail so that the center of theA fulcrum is on the longitudinal center of the guide rail, i. e. so that the center of the fulcrum lies in a, plane extending longitudinally of the rail through the centerof the face of the rail and perpendicular to the base of the rail. This Y fulcrum pvotally supports a rocker plate 13 upon which the lock bars are supported. This rocker plate is provided with a semi-cylindrical aperture 'I4 into which the ful'crurn 'l2 extends. Spacer shms 15 are provided beneath the barV 'l0 to adjust the vertical position of the rocker plate.

.Shim retainers 8U are secured to the ends of the fulcrum bar. A retainer is provided for the rocker plate in the form ofV a back plate 16 secured as by welding to the fulcrum bar and'having a top bar 'l1 secured as by welding to the top. of the back plate. Clips 'I8 secure the retainer to the guide rail at the top thereof, The thickness of bars 1U and 'll is such as to provide ample space between the base ofthe guide rail and the back plate for the rocking of Vthezrocker plate @nits fulcrum. Also, spaceexists Vbetween the top of fulcrurn bar 10 and rocker plate 13 and between the top of rocker plate 13 and spacing bar 'Il to allow for the rocking of the rocker plate on its fulcrum. Y

In' operation, when itl is desired to take on an exceptionally heavy load, the car is iirst moved upwardly an inch or so above the floor. The lock bars are then extended over Vthe lock bar stops. To Vextend the lock bars-y the cover plate 6| is removed and shaft V55 is turned by its socket wrench in a clockwise direction as shown in Figure 2'. VThis causes clockwise rotative movement of shaft 45 to force links 4| outwardly, thereby moving the lock bars 28 from their retracted positions as shown in-Figure 2 to extended posiltions shown in dot-dash lines. VThe car is then lowered until it is supported bythe lock bars von the rocker plate, the rocker plate rocking on its fulcrum to equally distribute the load on the two lock bars in case of misalignment or from some other cause it is not in proper position initially to do so. A cam 82 is secured to'shaft 45 for Y engaging the operating roller 83 of an interlock hoisting motor is energized; to see if the car can be lifted off the lock bar stops. If it can be, after a short amount of upward movement the lock bars are retracted by the wrench and the car is then moved upwardly or downwardly to carry the load to its destination. In this connection the lock bars are bevelled at 85 on top at their ends so that, should they fail to be retracted and the car is moved upwardly, thev bevelled portions will hit on the bottom of the rocker plates at the next landing forcing the lock bars inwardly. The

vtop bars 'l1 limit the amount of upward movei ment of the rocker plates so as to prevent the Vrocker plates coming oi their fulcrums.

The above c onstuction prevents the transmission ofV any substantial bending stresses to the guide rails through the locking device. This is due to having two lock bars, one on each side of each guide rail, supported by a rocker plate pivotally mounted on a fulcrum on the longitudinal center of the guide rail, For example', as the load is` being' movedinto the car there is at first a veryl heavy load on the front of the car platform which tends to tilt the car forward. This resultsin rocking of the rocker plate to equalize the forces exerted on the ends-of the rocker plate by the lock bars.

As many changes could be made in the. above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments o this invention could be made without departing from` the scope thereof, it is Vintended that all matter contained in the above description or show n in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What isY claimed is: A V

1. In an elevator installation in which an;` elevator'carV is movable in the elevator hatchway'.

andV in, which a car locking device is provided: for supporting the car at a landing, said device comprising; a stationary member mounted in the hatchway adjacent the car and having a fulcrum' securing said member to said guide rail with its fulcrum on the longitudinal center ofthe guide rail; a stop member pivotally supported on. said fulcrum; and a pair of lock bars carried by the carand eXtendible into position to engage said stop` member, one on each side to support the car.

3. In an elevator installation in which an elevator car is movable. on guidel rails in the eleva-V tor hatchway and in which a car locking device is provided for supporting the car on the guide rails at a landing, said device comprisingV foreach guidel rail; a stop member; means securedA to said guide rail for supporting said stop member midway its ends for pivotalmovement ina planeparallel to the base of the guide rail on a fulcruin aligned withjthe longitudinal center of the. guide rail; a pair of lock bars carriedr by the car, one for eachfend of said stop member; and means for moving said lock bars into position toengage said stop memberto support the oar. f

` 4.21m an elevator installation in which an ele..

vator car is movable on oppositely disposed guide Y Y Y rails in the elevator hatchway and in which a car locking device is provided for supporting the car on the guide rails at a landing, said device comprising for each guide rail; a stop member in back of said guide rail; means secured to the base of the guide rail at the back thereof for supporting said stop member midway its ends for pivotal movement in a plane parallel to the base of the guide rail on a ulcrum aligned with the longitudinal center of the guide rail; a pair of lock bars carried by the car, one for each end of said stop member; and means mounting said lock bars for horizontal sliding movement to extend them over said stop member for engagement with said stop member on the top thereof when the car is lowered thereon with the bars extended.

5. In an elevator installation in which an elevator car is movable on oppositely disposed guide rails in the elevator hatchway and in which a car locking device is provided for supporting the car on the guide rails at a landing, said device comprising for each guide rail; a bar having a fulcrum on the top thereof; means mounting said bar on said guide rail in back thereof and with said fulcrum aligned with the longitudinal center of the guide rail; a rocker plate above and pivotally mounted on said fulcrum midway between its ends and parallel to the base 0f the rail; a pair of lock bars carried by the car beneath the car platform, one for each end of said rocker plate; means mounting said lock bars for horizontal sliding movement to extend them over said rocker plate for engagement with said rocker plate on the top thereof when the car is lowered thereon with the bars extended; and means carried by the car for extending and retracting said lock bars.

6. In an elevator installation in which an elevator car is movable on oppositely disposed guide rails in the elevator hatchway and in which a car locking device is provided for supporting the car on the guide rails at a landing, said device comprising for each guide rail; a fulcrum bar having a semi cylindrical fulcrum on the top thereof; means mounting said fulcrum bar on said guide rail in back of and parallel to the base of the rail and with said fulcrum aligned with the longitudinal center of the guide rail; a rocker plate above and pivotally mounted on said fulcrum bar parallel to the base of the rail, said rocker plate having a semi cylindrical aperture inthe bottom thereof and midway its ends into which said -fulcrum extends to form the pivot; means for retaining said rocker plate on said fulcrum; a pair of lock bars, one for each end of the rocker plate; means mounting said lock bars beneath the elevator car platform for horizontal sliding movement to extend them over said rocker plate, one on each side of the fulcrum, to engage said rocker plate on the top thereof when the car is lowered thereon with the bars extended; and means carried by the car for extending and retracting said lock bars.

7. In an elevator installation in which an elevator car is movable on oppositely disposed guide rails in the elevator hatchway and in which a car locking device is provided for supporting the car on the guide rails at a landing, said device comprising for each guide rail; a foundation plate secured to the back of the base of the guide rail; a fulcrum bar mounted on top of said foundation plate parallel to the base of the rail and having a semi cylindrical fulcrum on the top thereof aligned with the longitudinal center of the guide rail; a rocker plate above and pivotally mounted on said fulcrum bar parallel to the base of the rail, said rocker plate having a semi cylindrical aperture in the bottom thereof and midway its ends into which said fulerum extends to form the pivot; a spacing bar above said rocker plate; a retaining plate in back of said rocker plate extending from said fulcrum bar to said spacing bar; means securing said retainer plate and said bars to the base of the guide rail, the thickness of said bars and their distance apart being such as to enable rocking of said rocker plate on said fulcrum; a pair of lock bars, one for each end of the rocker plate; means mounting said lock bars beneath the elevator car platform for'horizontal sliding movement to extend them over said rocker plate, one on each side of the fulcrum, to engage said rocker plate on the top and near the ends thereof when the car is lowered thereon with the lock bars extended; and means carried by the car for extending and retracting said lock bars.

ERIC. ALBERT SAHLIN.` 

